The Quranic depiction of Jesus

As David Hesselgrave reminds us in his Communicating Christ Cross- Culturally, From a communication point of view it is imperative that we analyze the world view of our respondent cultures. It is in the context of these world views that our message Hill be decoded and evaluated. With some 600 million worldwide adherents and a growing presence in the West, Islam--which Hesselgrave classifies as one of the other monotheistic world views Christianity encounters—certainly emerges as a force to be reckoned with. The present study represents one attempt to grasp some salient features of the Muslim faith and probe its underlying mindset by examining a strand of tradition common to both Christians and Muslims, namely, their recognition of Jesus. By focusing on this one element, not only can important insights be gained into Islam\u27s assessment of other religions but themes such as divine guidance, suffering, and the meaning of history are illumined as well. This paper deals specifically with the Qur\u27an, attempting to show how the portrayal of Isa, or Jesus, in this writing relates to its overall thematic scheme. The place of Jesus in later Islamic folklore, theological formulations, and Sufi piety is a rich topic for investigation, but it is introduced here only incidentally for purposes of clarifying certain texts. This emphasis accords well with the current inclination of many Muslims to recover an authentic Quranic heritage, disentangled from traditional accretions